5 Tips for Becoming an Influencer

In the past, to make a living, you had to either pick a career and stick to it or marry rich and take care of the house. There was once a time when a job was for life and generally consisted of doing what your boss said, when he or she (but more likely he) said it. If you were lucky, you were offered a tidy retirement package at 65 and lived out the rest of your days trying to forget all the time you spent at the office, the factory, or on the sales floor. – Becoming an Influencer

In 2022, this is no longer the case. Never before have there been so many options to make a living doing what you love. One of the most interesting professions to have developed in the last few years is that of social media influencer: these individuals post about their lives on platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok in order to sell products to followers who admire their style or talent. 

If you think the life of an influencer could be for you, here are five key tips for getting into the field.

1. Have the right equipment

Everyone knows that to be an influencer, you need a good camera, semi-decent editing software, and a ring light to flatter you. However, there is another side to influencing beyond video production: the behind-the-scenes work of tracking followers, soliciting brands to support you, and researching the latest trends. 

Having a top-tier computer that allows you to do all of this work quickly is key: AMD Ryzen 5 Thinkpads, for example, are the type of device that will help you manage your influencer brand from the back end as well as the front.

2. Don’t Take Criticism To Heart

When you choose to make a living putting your image, words, and ideas out into the world, you are inevitably going to encounter some backlash. This kind of criticism can be disheartening but try not to let it get to you too much, and certainly don’t let it discourage you from pursuing your dreams. 

If you need to, ignore the comments on your stuff altogether! There is some good evidence to suggest that taking in the negative comments on your posts can have significant effects on your mental health. Don’t make a habit of reading them from the start, and you’ll be better set up to take on the hate throughout your career.

3. Stay in Your Lane

Because so many influencers have so much influence, many of them have taken to opining on subjects such as mental health, politics, or academics. While this can be tempting, especially in a world where information on everything is so readily available, make sure you aren’t offering advice or creating controversy around subjects you are not an expert in. This does not favor a long and healthy career as an influencer; you’re just as likely to get canceled for your misinformed post as you are questioned for your right to be speaking on such subjects.

4. Get Involved With Brands

Being an influencer isn’t just about getting your content out into the world and attracting an audience. If you want to be a success, you need to make enough money to support yourself. That said, how do influencers go about ensuring they have a regular income? The answer is by cultivating brand support and loyalty.

The relationship between brands and celebrity promotion is legendary and ancient, but it has taken a new form in the age of digital social media. Influencers are now the face of many brands, and some can early up to 1.2 million USD per post. While this might be a bold aim for your first steps into your new career, attaining it by slowly cultivating brand relationships over time is an extremely manageable task. 

Doing your research about which brands are looking for influencers and getting in touch with them is a great way to start building up an income. You may start by trading in free goods that brands offer you to take photos with, but don’t be disheartened! You can turn that into a longer-term income plan with a little savvy in no time.

5. Pick Your Platform Well

Where once upon a time you had only a few options for places to post your content, in 2022, there are countless social media platforms for videos, photos, etc. What’s more, their popularity shifts and changes all the time! A new platform called BeReal, for example, encourages you to share a random unfiltered moment of your day at a set time. 

While you don’t have to be on all of these platforms in order to be a successful influencer, knowing where you’re posting and what the audience is like is crucial to your longer-term success.